CHARLESTON — Bastendorff Beach has become a place of remembrance for the family of Linda S. Foley. From the jetty, they’ve put her mother and father’s bodies to rest. On Friday afternoon, they did the same for her.

“She just loved the beach, and Dad was a commercial fisherman,” said her sister Judy Newman.

Newman, older sister Norma Holstrom and three other siblings, along with Foley’s children, nieces, nephews and friends, came to the county park to watch as Foley’s oldest son, Kevin Fellows, tossed her ashes into the sea.

“Under different circumstances it would be easier,” Holstrom said at the beach.

The 59-year-old Foley died on March 12 from internal bleeding, as a result of blunt force trauma, at the Bunker Hill home she shared with her boyfriend and his son, 18-year-old Henry Cozad. Police arrested Cozad the same night for murder. None of the Cozads attended the service.

Family members said they have many lingering questions about how Foley died, but her memorial service was about her and the joy she brought to others.

“She was a good woman, and no matter how hard you hurt her, she would still help you,” Fellows said.

Friend Lois McPherson, who had known Foley since 1980, described her as a sweet woman, who loved her children though she wasn’t able to raise them herself. Foley lost custody of her children in the 1980s for what McPherson described as “bad choices.”

McPherson said she came to the beach, following a small service at the Coos Bay Chapel, to pay her respects to Foley and her children.

“It’s very sad, so sad to see her kids, because they’re so hurt,” McPherson said.

As the family gathered near the jetty, Fellows gave flowers to his sisters, Jessica Doolittle and Kim Patton, as well as brother TJ Foley, to throw into the water with their mother’s ashes. Doolittle, a North Bend resident, sobbed loudly.

“I miss Mom so much,” the 26-year-old told her siblings.

A short time later, Fellows, 41, stood on the jetty wall to read a eulogy he had written for Foley on lined notebook paper.

“She was clothed with compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience, even with her hardships and humilities,” Fellows said. “She never felt hate and spread love and joy throughout the community, her family and friends.”

Following those words, he climbed over the wall and along rocks, lifted his eyes to the sky, mouthed a few words and threw a pillow containing Foley’s ashes into the water.

Fellows said he felt more at ease after sending off his mom.

“I’m still at odds with it. I’m not mad at anybody, I’m just mad at the situation,” he said. “It’s hard to have closure ... without knowing the truth.”

Daughter Kim Patton said she hadn’t known her mom well, yet she considers her the most wonderful person in the world.  The 34-year-old added that things happen for a reason. Patton lives in Texas, near her older brother, Fellows.

“She knows to this day that I love her,” Patton said. “I know it’s a horrible thing, but I’m glad our family got together like this ... I bet Mom’s happy, too.”